marcosgr95's review against another edition
5.0
I wasn't aware of the existence of Kevin Lucia, but I came across him and this book thanks to being subscribed to Crystal Lake Publishing's mailing list.
Having said that, on with the review. Comparisons are obnoxious things that shouldn't be made, I know, but in this case the following one is meant as a praise: Kevin Lucia writes and builds up tension in a fashion strikingly similar to Stephen King. Of course, his style is different in that, for example, it doesn't digress as much as SK (SK has a tendency to start rambling about some real life event or other, which isn't bad either), but the resemblance is there.
Aside from that, the book's format captivated me completely, because this is a short stories book (or not so short, but bear with me) disguised as a novel. And Mr Lucia pulled it off so well that I found it rather difficult to pry the book from my own hands.
All things considered, a real page-turner who deserves to be read by any horror fiction lover.
Final rating: 10/10
Having said that, on with the review. Comparisons are obnoxious things that shouldn't be made, I know, but in this case the following one is meant as a praise: Kevin Lucia writes and builds up tension in a fashion strikingly similar to Stephen King. Of course, his style is different in that, for example, it doesn't digress as much as SK (SK has a tendency to start rambling about some real life event or other, which isn't bad either), but the resemblance is there.
Aside from that, the book's format captivated me completely, because this is a short stories book (or not so short, but bear with me) disguised as a novel. And Mr Lucia pulled it off so well that I found it rather difficult to pry the book from my own hands.
All things considered, a real page-turner who deserves to be read by any horror fiction lover.
Final rating: 10/10
inkyinsanity's review against another edition
5.0
No spoilers if you’ve read the blurb.
I got this book when I met the author at a writing panel in a local bookstore. I don’t read a lot of horror but I do usually enjoy it, and I always like trying books from local authors.
I’m really glad I got this one.
There are four short stories wrapped in the frame of someone finding them written in a strange journal. I’ll break each story down but the entire thing was tied together really well.
Characters and places bled between the stories and added an awesome level of depth. The plots and atmosphere kept me glued to the page. The characters were sufficiently different from each other but all felt relatable, even if I didn’t like them.
Suffer the Children Come Unto Me
Five stars
This was really, really good. It follows a catholic school priest who recently returned from Afghanistan, scared out of his mind and convinced he’d met a possessed child. He’s trying to recover but he keeps seeing and hearing strange things. When a student disappears, he makes a choice.
Yellow Cab
Five stars
This was just as good as the first one. A troubled cab driver starts taking passengers to places he can’t remember, and eventually his past catches up with his present problems. I did not see the last twist coming until right before the end, and I loved it.
Admit One
Four stars
This one ended REALLY well, but I couldn’t stand the POV character. Probably just me, but I couldn’t stand his ‘poor me’ attitude. A college dropout working at a junkyard finds three mysterious coins. He discovers what they do when he meets his sort-of high school ex at the fair and helps her make a wish.
And I Watered It, With Tears
Five stars
Okay, this one was hands down my absolute favorite. It changes point-of-view, starting with a guy facing divorce after a terrible accident and ending with another guy just trying to survive. Three other characters get brief POV moments, but it’s mostly the first two and I really liked them both. I can’t say much without revealing spoilers, but the moral of the story is to always pay your electric bill on time.
The writing was phenomenal. I got sucked right into the stories and didn’t escape until I turned the last page. I guess I should be glad I, at least, managed to escape.
Some aren’t so lucky...
☠️
Okay, I’m done now. But if you like horror or seriously creepy paranormal, give this a try.
I got this book when I met the author at a writing panel in a local bookstore. I don’t read a lot of horror but I do usually enjoy it, and I always like trying books from local authors.
I’m really glad I got this one.
There are four short stories wrapped in the frame of someone finding them written in a strange journal. I’ll break each story down but the entire thing was tied together really well.
Characters and places bled between the stories and added an awesome level of depth. The plots and atmosphere kept me glued to the page. The characters were sufficiently different from each other but all felt relatable, even if I didn’t like them.
Suffer the Children Come Unto Me
Five stars
This was really, really good. It follows a catholic school priest who recently returned from Afghanistan, scared out of his mind and convinced he’d met a possessed child. He’s trying to recover but he keeps seeing and hearing strange things. When a student disappears, he makes a choice.
Yellow Cab
Five stars
This was just as good as the first one. A troubled cab driver starts taking passengers to places he can’t remember, and eventually his past catches up with his present problems. I did not see the last twist coming until right before the end, and I loved it.
Admit One
Four stars
This one ended REALLY well, but I couldn’t stand the POV character. Probably just me, but I couldn’t stand his ‘poor me’ attitude. A college dropout working at a junkyard finds three mysterious coins. He discovers what they do when he meets his sort-of high school ex at the fair and helps her make a wish.
And I Watered It, With Tears
Five stars
Okay, this one was hands down my absolute favorite. It changes point-of-view, starting with a guy facing divorce after a terrible accident and ending with another guy just trying to survive. Three other characters get brief POV moments, but it’s mostly the first two and I really liked them both. I can’t say much without revealing spoilers, but the moral of the story is to always pay your electric bill on time.
The writing was phenomenal. I got sucked right into the stories and didn’t escape until I turned the last page. I guess I should be glad I, at least, managed to escape.
Some aren’t so lucky...
☠️
Okay, I’m done now. But if you like horror or seriously creepy paranormal, give this a try.
umlautherper's review against another edition
5.0
A Spooky Collection to Keep You Up at Night
I first found Kevin Lucia through a short story collection that featured a bunch of other writers as well. I found his short story to be the standout in that collection so I wanted to read more of his work and found this book. It did not disappoint! It was really fun (and spooky) to read a series of stories set in the same town and find all sorts of creepy connections in the stories. I'll definitely be reading more Kevin Lucia in the future particularly in his Clifton Heights universe! I can't wait to see what other creepy things are in store for me.
I first found Kevin Lucia through a short story collection that featured a bunch of other writers as well. I found his short story to be the standout in that collection so I wanted to read more of his work and found this book. It did not disappoint! It was really fun (and spooky) to read a series of stories set in the same town and find all sorts of creepy connections in the stories. I'll definitely be reading more Kevin Lucia in the future particularly in his Clifton Heights universe! I can't wait to see what other creepy things are in store for me.
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